Small Amounts of Federal Assistance Beginning to Flow to Volcano Survivors

1 July: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved $1.2 million through its individual assistance program to volcano survivors, according to the Hawaii Tribune Herald on 30 June. FEMA officials had previously said that average assistance packages would be about $4000 which suggests that up to 300 individuals received assistance. FEMA reported that 1769 households have applied for aid.

The US Small Business Administration has also approved $829,400 in nine loans for survivors. Seven of the loans are for homeowners and two are for businesses for a loan average of about $92,000.

Finally the Hawaii Community Foundation had distributed $32,000 to the Neighborhood Place of Puna for a database management system and to the Puna Baptist Church for laundry services to survivors.